As much as I love my DB9 Volante, I recognise that, as a family man, it has some shortcomings. My wife and I are both tall, as is our sixteen year old daughter. Our annual family run down to the South of France or Tuscany becomes ever more uncomfortable squeezed into the Astons seating space, let alone cramming the girls luggage into the boot. Spring of last year we started considering a Bentley Continental drophead. No deal was struck because I resented handing over the Aston AND a colossal amount of money to get a Bentley. This Spring, what with my daughter being even taller, plus I've had a good year financially, the swap seemed even more plausible.......and necessary ! So what is the fly in the ointment that has screwed it up BIGTIME ?
Bentley dealers just don't want Aston Martins ! How does one account for that ? Apart from a tad more legroom and boot space in the Bentley ( which are the two things I want one for, of course ! ) , they are essentially the same car. OK, the Bentley is faster, but they are both Grand Tourers, motorway cruisers, Gentlemens carriages etc. or whatever else one can bloody well call them. Of course, having had five previous Astons ( or four if one doesn't include my Lagonda ), I am inevitably biased in favour of Astons.........why aren't more people who decide to buy a Bentley instead !?